Holocaust survivors call for Nazi salute to be outlawed in Victoria

Holocaust survivors are spearheading a push to outlaw the Nazi salute in Victoria a day after neo-Nazis used the salute at a January 26 ceremony for Indigenous Australians.

It follows a series of incidents in recent weeks where white supremacists performed the gesture in public spaces across Melbourne.

Survivors Abram Goldberg, Sarah Saaroni and Jack Leder are the driving force behind the campaign, which urges the Andrews government to expand its ban on Nazi symbols.

Back row: Jayne Josem, Dvir Abramovich, Jack Leder. Front row: Abram Goldberg, Sarah Saaroni on the steps of Victorian parliament.

The group is being supported by Melbourne Holocaust Museum chief executive Jayne Josem and Anti-Defamation Commission Chair Dr Dvir Abramovich.

In a statement, the group said the Nazi salute celebrates “Hitler’s monstrous legacy and the indescribable crimes committed by his regime” and had no place in Victorian society.

The group is urging the Victorian government to “close the lid on this sickening phenomenon” by criminalising the gesture.

“My blood starts to boil when I see the Nazi salute, and it brings back the memory of 6 million Jews who were murdered by the Nazis,” Goldberg, an Order of Australia Medal recipient, said. “It should be banned. No question.”

Leder added: “These are thugs who are trying to intimidate and put fear into people. If they’re allowed to keep on doing this, it justifies it in the eyes of the public. There has to be a law to stop it.”

The push comes after a neo-Nazi group attempted to disrupt an Indigenous mourning ceremony at Coburg Town Hall on Thursday morning with white supremacist banners and nazi salutes.

In footage of the incident, four police officers can be seen forming a line between the Nazi group and ceremony attendees before proceedings were shifted inside. None of the black-clad people involved in the stunt were arrested.

The neo-Nazi group was later spotted in a number of locations around Melbourne’s inner north brandishing banners with white supremacist slogans, which The Age has chosen not to reproduce.

Police say they are reviewing body-worn camera footage to determine whether any offences occurred, but said the banner did not constitute an offence under racial vilification laws. Friday marks International Holocaust Remembrance Day in Australia.

Last year, the Andrews government outlawed nazi hate symbols. Anyone who intentionally displays the Nazi symbol in public faces a year in prison or a $22,000 fine.

The government has signalled its willingness to bolster the laws if police say no crime was committed in Coburg on Thursday.

“We’ve been clear there’s no place for this hateful ideology in Victoria – public demonstrations and displays such as these do nothing but cause further pain and division. Vilification has no place in our community,” a government spokesman said.

“The government will continue to monitor the use of hate symbols and vilification and may consider further legislative reforms at a later stage.”

But Shadow Attorney General Michael O’Brien said it would be “hard to believe that existing laws can’t deal with this conduct” and see the individuals charged.

“Victoria’s equal opportunity, anti-vilification, and public order laws should be able to deal with these attempted provocations from a sad little rabble,” he said.

“Many Australians lost their lives in wars fighting against fascism. So it is appalling to see neo-Nazis disrupting public events on Australia Day.

“Acts of intimidation and racial intolerance have no place in our community and will never be tolerated.”

Earlier this month, white supremacist Thomas Sewell flashed a Nazi salute while speaking to the media outside the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court.

Sewell had been handed an 18-month community correction order after being found guilty of assaulting a Channel Nine security guard, who was also racially abused during the attack. Nine is the owner of this masthead.

In another incident earlier this month, 20 white supremacists were photographed doing the gesture on Elwood beach. A child was among those captured doing the salute.

Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here.

Most Viewed in National

From our partners

Source: Read Full Article